This January 5, thehe ministers in charge of public health have formalized the new rules for managing Covid-19 cases in schools. The day before the start of the school year, we take stock with you on these new measures.
The Concertation Committee confirmed the objective of a full-time face-to-face return to nursery, primary and secondary schools. It will be part-time in artistic education. In addition to the new quarantine, isolation, testing and class closure standards, the “golden rules” of social distancing, hygiene, ventilation and wearing a mask remain essential.
A mask from 6 years old
The first instinct of many parents this Sunday evening will be to slip a masque in the children’s schoolbag. If at nursery school the mask is not imposed in class (neither on children nor on teachers), this is not the case for primary school.
“From 6 years old, the mask must be worn indoors, remember Anne Claire Henry, ONE crisis manager. Outside, however, no obligation. “
Self-test is strongly recommended
If wearing a mask is nothing new, the testing protocol is the real novelty of this new school year. In fact, in terms of prevention, the emphasis is on autotests. Although this is not an obligation, the authorities recommend to pass a self-test for children this Sunday and then, once a week. These tests can be purchased in supermarkets, pharmacies or online.
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What if my child’s self-test is positive?
If your child’s self-test is positive (or just showing symptoms), you should keep your child at home. House. Ensuite, “it is necessary to contact the federal call center on 02 214 1919 or go through the web platform in order to get a code for a PCR test and one certificate of absence” remember Anne Claire Henry, ONE crisis manager.
In this case, isolation of your child will be 7 days instead of 10. Then the child can come out of isolation, provided that he has not had a fever for three days or other symptoms. And that he scrupulously applies barrier gestures. For three days, he will have to submit to a self-test.
Relaxed closures in primary
Class closures are also relaxed: now, a primary class will be placed in quarantine and so closed if, for a week, there is four positive cases (teachers included) in the class or 25% of the students, for five days (rather than seven). There will no longer be any obligation to test children who are not symptomatic.
Indeed, the authorities consider that “When the mouth mask is used consistently and correctly in well-ventilated primary education classrooms, children in these classes are considered low-risk contacts. In well-ventilated classrooms in preschool, children are also considered low-risk contacts. “
Parents will be informed immediately as soon as contamination occurs in the classroom.
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What if my child is a high risk contact?
What also changes at the quarantine level is that now if your child has had a high-risk contact outside the classroom, such as in sport or within a youth movement, but he is not sick, he can leave his quarantine to go to school.
If, on the other hand, it is a contact among his close family who is tested positive, the child must stay at home.
School trips, CO2 detectors, public events
As for daily life at school, Teaching.be reminds that one-day school trips are again authorized.
Stays with overnight stays are suspended until relaxation holidays. In the meantime, schools must also acquire CO2 detectors as quickly as possible. As for public events, they are prohibited within the school grounds. Meetings with parents should be held remotely. It is also advisable not to mix classes in interior spaces such as dining rooms or study rooms.
100% face-to-face in high school
For high school students, the main change is the return to 100% face-to-face, whereas before the holidays there was a hybrid system (50% at home and 50% at school).
In order to handle the situation, wearing the masque rest imposed inside. In the classes, it will be necessary to keep a fixed place. It goes without saying that the premises must be ventilated regularly. On the other hand, day trips are authorized in accordance with the rules in force in the place concerned. Night trips are currently suspended.
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As for the screening policy, the principle of self-tests remains the same as for children in primary school: it is advisable to undergo a self-test at least once a week, but it is not compulsory.
Automatic class closings, it’s over
As for the closure of classes in high school, automatic closings, it’s over. From now on, each department manages the situation on a case-by-case basis within its establishment with the health promotion services and the regional surveillance unit. There is therefore no longer a fixed rule, but it is still possible for a class to be closed.
As for isolation, teenagers will now be subject to the same rules as adults. In short: if the test is positive, we isolate ourselves for seven days. If your child is a contact “high risk”, he should quarantine himself only if he is not vaccinated. The quarantine will last for seven days in this case and end on the seventh day, if the self-test is negative. Note: he must continue to submit to a self-test every day until day 10.
These new rules will be valid until “relaxation leave“(carnival holidays), end of February, with a mid-term evaluation, ie end of January.”By then, a large group of children aged 5 to 11 will have already had the opportunity to be vaccinated“, justifies the joint statement sent at the end of the Interministerial Conference.